Wandering, but not lost

Crete has so much more to offer than just the pretty beaches straight out of the brochures of your local travel agent. Don't get me wrong, the beaches and all the famous spots are amazing but what really stuck in my memory were the hidden gems inbetween.

Setting off from Chania, we headed to the west of the island next. We rented a car for a few days to be able to drive around freely. Crete is quite well connected in terms of transportation, all the major cities and spots are connected with motorways and the busiest one is connecting the whole island from east to west. Well, but very often to get to the final destination the drivers must have some nerve. The island is very mounainous and steep, curvy roads are almost unavoidable. They will sure increase your adrenaline level for the day but the views will be rewarding and you won't regret it.

During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic my parents and I had decided to travel around within the Polish borders just a little bit more than usual. This was the first vacation that we planned together in years, and the destination that we chose was West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Zachodniopomorskie). The choice was not a completely random shot, because my father's family resides in this part of Poland and we used this oppotunity to come over and simply catch up.

This region is the most north-western region of the country. Heavy german influences can be easily observed in city-planning and the omnipresent germanic architecture. I don't want to generalise, but my observation was that the region's golden age has ended after being transferred to Poland, it is kinda still living off its herritage instead of moving forward. But! Not to be negative only, I personally really liked the germanic feel. It almost felt like visiting a different country that accidentally spoke the same language as I do.